Coralville Courier

Singer Michael Jackson dies in LA

The world has lost an eccentric but major talent, the King of Pop is dead.

Paramedics were called early Thursday afternoon to a home in Bel-Air where Michael Jackson was found unconscious.  He was rushed to UCLA Medical Center while paramedics performed C.P.R., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.   Early reports indicated Jackson had suffered cardiac arrest and then fell into a deep coma.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital at 3:15pm PST.

Jackson, 50, was attempting a comeback and was renting the Bel-Air, California home to prepare for his upcoming tour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En-cHBv7UpA

Young Cons appear on Fox & Friends

Even if you're not into rap, this is something you should check out.  These two young Conservatives are becoming quite popular, as noted by the attention received from the Fox Network to include an appearance on Fox & Friends this morning.  Check out their website at:  http://www.theyoungcons.com/

Dan Zanes returns with free Memorial Day family concert to support Hancher

Dan Zanes and Friends, featuring the king of Romper Rock, will present a free family concert to support the future of the University of Iowa Hancher Auditorium at 3 p.m. Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, in Iowa City's Upper City Park.

Audience members should bring their own lawn chairs or blankets.

Zanes was one of the 2005 artists in "SPOT: The Hancher Family Arts Adventure," including residencies and performances in Marshalltown, Perry and Spencer, as well as Iowa City/Coralville.

He first came to public attention as the leader of the Del Fuegos, the popular '80s garage band out of Boston, but he left the rock 'n' roll world in the 1990s to record and perform for children and families -- including appearances on "Sesame Street," "Noggin" and "Playhouse Disney."

He's described as "a 21st-century version of the guy who in the old days used to conduct the town band from the gazebo, though in lieu of a gazebo he's playing places like Carnegie Hall and the Melbourne International Arts Festival, where no matter how you say it, good music is good. He is a ringmaster, introducing new songs and reconnecting people to songs that have always been there, and still are -- it's just that people forgot about them."

It was the New York Times Magazine that labeled Zanes' new venture "Romper Rock," a folk-tinged, roots-rock sound that led the Boston Herald critic to observe that his show is one of "those rare children's concerts where the grownups clearly (have) as much fun as their (kids)." His recordings have featured guests including Sheryl Crow, Rosanne Cash, Loudon Wainwright and Suzanne Vega, and he has also authored picture books for children.

The Dan Zanes and Friends "Catch That Train!" won the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children. His guests on that CD include the Kronos Quartet, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Father Goose and the children of South Africa's Agape Orphanage.

His latest album, "The Welcome Table: Songs of Inspiration, Mystery and Good Times," is a collection of recordings of tunes drawn primarily from North American gospel traditions, assembled to create awareness for the New Sanctuary Movement -- an interfaith coalition responding to the suffering of our immigrants living in the United States.

Learn more at http://danzanes.com/pages/news.php.

Free-will donations will be accepted at the event, and donations can also be made online at https://www.uifoundation.org/GiveToIowa/WebObjects/GiveToIowa.woa/wa/goTo?area=hancher.

This program is supported by Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For UI arts information and calendar updates visit http://www.uiowa.edu/artsiowa. To receive UI arts news by e-mail, go to http://list.uiowa.edu/archives/acr-news.html and click the link "Join or Leave ACR News," then follow the instructions.

Bill Johnson to Give Piano Recital

Local pianist, Bill Johnson, will be giving a piano recital on Thursday, May 14 at 2:00 PM in the Assembly Room at the Iowa City Senior Center, 28 S Linn St., Iowa City. Included in the program are works by Haydn, Bartok and Debussy.

Bill has studied piano off and on since age six. He has a degree in piano performance from the University of Iowa and has given several concerts at the Senior Center. He is currently playing monthly for Pathways Adult Day Care Center and local nursing homes.

For further information, contact the Senior Center at 356-5224.

Kantorei and University Choir share concert program May 9

Kantorei and the University Choir, two of the choral organizations at the University of Iowa School of Music, will share the program for their final concerts of the 2008-09 academic year at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 9, in the second-floor Ballroom of the Iowa Memorial Union.

The concert, under the direction of two doctoral students in the UI School of Music, will be free and open to the public.

Choral ensembles will wrap up the semester's activities with May 8 concert

Graduate students in choral conducting will lead Camerata and the Women's Chorale -- two of the choral groups from the University of Iowa School of Music -- in a free concert at 8 p.m. Friday, May 8, in the second-floor Ballroom of the Iowa Memorial Union.

The concert, under the direction of doctoral students in choral conducting at the School of Music, will be the final performance of the semester for both ensembles.

University and Concert Bands will perform May 6

The University and Concert Bands from the University of Iowa School of Music will conclude their activities for the 2008-09 academic year with a joint concert at 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, in the Main Lounge of the Iowa Memorial Union.

Their joint concert will be free and open to the public.

Rock and Roll Law School: LawLawPalooza celebrates 15 years of music and charity

It was a cool, drizzly fall day in 1994 when a group of UI law students gathered at John Norris' little green house on Riverside Drive to play music and dance in the time honored tradition of relieving the stress of studying the for law. Given the number of musicians, former musicians and wannabe musicians in the law school, a concert seemed to make sense.

So they turned the little green house's driveway into a stage, added a decent sound system, some not-so-decent lighting and invited anyone who ever played an instrument to come and jam. Then they put on an old-fashioned music festival for eight hours, or 10 or 12 or however many it was, clear memories having been mostly lost in the fog of time and various indulgences of the day.

Today, 15 years later, LawLawPalooza has become one of the highlights of the UI law school's calendar and one of its biggest charitable fundraisers, with proceeds benefiting law students who participate in public interest law projects during their summers.

This year's LawLawPalooza starts at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, at The Yacht Club in Iowa City. Among those slated to perform are law students Rob Sand, David Wiest, Kevin Dawson and Andrew Pratt, along with local acts Ephraim Sehn and School of Flyentology. Admission is $5.

Iowa Bach Festival March 2-6 will feature renowned specialists

The Iowa Bach Festival, a March 2-6 celebration of the life and music of J.S. Bach, will bring to the University of Iowa the celebrated Bach specialists Christoph Wolff, the Adams University Professor of Musicology at Harvard University, and Ingrid Matthews, violinist and director of the Seattle Baroque Ensemble.

The festival, which has been organized by Christine Rutledge of the UI School of Music faculty, will include lectures, concerts, master classes and a lecture-demonstration. All events in the festival (see full schedule below) are free and open to the public.

Highlights of the week will include a series of evening events, including Wolff's lecture and performances at Trinity Episcopal Church in Iowa City, one of the performance spaces the School of Music is using since last summer's floods. These free events are:

--8 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, in Buchanan Auditorium of the Pappajohn Business Administration Building, a lecture by Wolff: "The Bach Expedition: New Perspectives on J. S. Bach's Life and Works."

--8 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 320 E. College St. a concert by Matthews of Bach's works for solo violin.

--8 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at Trinity Episcopal Church: "Bach and the Voice" with Sherezade Panthaki, soprano, Stephen Swanson, baritone, and the Iowa Baroque Ensemble.

--8 p.m. Friday, March 6, at Trinity Episcopal Church: "Bach and the Instrument: Chamber Music for Strings and Keyboard" with Ann Marie Morgan, viola da gamba, and members of the Iowa Baroque Ensemble.

New Horizons Orchestra seeking members

The New Horizons Orchestra is a community string ensemble, made up of musicians of all ability levels, from beginners to advanced instrumentalists. The orchestra meets at the Senior Center once a week to practice a variety of string orchestra literature, including classical, movie and musical tunes, and contemporary compositions.

Other than being an adult, there are no age, ability or Center membership requirements for participating in the orchestra. Members vary widely in both age and playing ability. Several have picked up their instruments again after a long break and once again are enjoying the opportunity to make music with others in a group.

The group meets under the direction of Megan Glass, a Masters student in Music Education. Dues are $75 per semester paid to the director at the first sessions in Jan and in Jun.

The New Horizons Orchestra practices on Friday from 10:00 to 11:30 AM at the Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center at 28 S Linn Street, Iowa City.

For further information, contact Megan Glass at 321-8635 or glass01@mchsi.com , or Susan Rogusky at 356-5224 or susan-rogusky@iowa-city.org .